“Trump can’t afford to lose.” He has the “biggest incentive” to dig into his position with “more to lose than the Democrats do. This shutdown was neither necessary nor inevitable…. It was the president who delivered the ultimatum: Fund the wall, he demanded, or he’d be “’proud to shut down the government for border security.’” Without an “outright victory,” Trump will lose “a fight that he picked. He’d end the shutdown weaker than he started. And some of his most ardent supporters could well turn on him for selling them out on his signature issue, affecting his re-election in 2020.” Still, “none of this guarantees a Trump victory.”

Democrats must consider “the end game.” If their “ultimate objective is impeachment and removal from office, House Democrats will be attempting to perform a political miracle. If the final goal is censure, however, it will be far easier to send a clear message to the American people that progressives stand for the rule of law and good government.”

“Democrats promised to demand answers on his personal taxes, foreign business dealings, family charity, and other areas beyond the Russia investigation. This reflects a strategy that not only targets Trump but counts on him to be successful. They are relying on his description of himself as a “counterpuncher” to supply the grounds of his removal. Yes, Trump could counterpunch himself into getting impeached.

“For foreign countries that have made big bets on Donald Trump’s presidency — such as Russia, China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia — the U.S. midterm elections pose a significant problem: Trump’s maneuvering room may be sharply limited if Democrats win control of the House.” The Republicans hold on power looks “so precarious, that foreign commentators are debating what GOP losses in November could mean.”

“Donald Trump’s populist campaign didn’t always square with his past statements. And that makes his agenda as president anybody’s guess.” His fluid positions “could give the businessman an edge in making legislative deals…. Or it could halt action in Washington completely if he finds himself at odds with both Republicans and Democrats.”

After the Democratic National Convention got off to a rough start, the party is reuniting, though tension remains. “Amid enduring dissent, some of the convention’s most successful moments so far have appealed to unity among people—including the kinds of people, like undocumented immigrants and the disabled, who have been targeted by Trump’s divisive rhetoric.”

“Hong Kong democrats celebrated Thursday as the city’s legislature blocked passage of the Beijing-backed election law that sparked last year’s 75-day mass protests.” In response, Beijing’s tactic will probably risk “further alienating the people of Hong Kong from the mainland. The more Beijing paints its opponents as radicals and revolutionaries, the more it risks creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Only 36.3% of U.S. voters even bothered to vote in last week’s election. “The abysmally low turnout in last week’s midterm elections — the lowest in more than seven decades — was bad for Democrats, but it was even worse for democracy. In 43 states, less than half the eligible population bothered to vote, and no state broke 60 percent.”

“The Democratic brand did not fare well” in Tuesday’s elections that broadly swept conservative Republican candidates into office. When asked to vote on policy issues, however, “voters made notably liberal decisions in both red and blue states,” passing liberal initiatives ranging from environmental initiatives and gun control measures to legalizing marijuana. These initiatives “were directly at odds with the positions of many of the Republican winners.”

Only 36.3% of U.S. voters even bothered to vote in last week’s election. “The abysmally low turnout in last week’s midterm elections — the lowest in more than seven decades — was bad for Democrats, but it was even worse for democracy. In 43 states, less than half the eligible population bothered to vote, and no state broke 60 percent.”